BuzzerBeater Forums

Robin Lopez scored 20.4 ppg last season (in only his 3rd season). His FG percentage and rebounding aren't great, but for somebody taken with the 10th overall pick, I'm not sure I'd say he's a bust.

Morrison is a total bust, but he's really a wing.

Then there is Kevin Love that a lot of people were saying was too short and too slow out of college...and we see how right they were!

I can't really explain Rubio other than hype and youth made it seem like he had unlimited potential -- but it sounds like he didn't develop much this year.

In general, I think there is a scarcity of bigger players (just because of the demographics) and thus the NBA is always looking for big men. In general, I think big men are drafted higher and more so on potential than a PG or wing. Thus there tends to be more big men "busts" -- not just American players, but from everywhere.

Oden being chosen over Durant is a prime example to go with Bowie over Jordan. Top bigs are rarer than top backcourt guys. Rubio seems like a media and PR move as much as a basketball one. I dont think the T-wolves expect him to be an answer to their woes. Being a backup on a poor team doesnt rate the attention, but his name and place of origin do.

Oden was a good college player...if healthy, he may have been a really good player. Same with Bowie. Big guys seem to have a lot more aliments and health issues.

I'm not sure there is a logical reason why the Timberwolves do anything. That franchise is just messed up. At least with the Clippers, its only about the money and Sterling is maximizing that without any concern for the product he puts on the court.

Oden was good in college, and big. I remember when the draft that year was pending and the buzz about Oden and Durant. I think that many people felt Durant was the safer pick, that his basketball skills were in the no-miss catagory. Wheras Oden, who was a great player but allready had injury issues, and there were questions about his mobility, etc. Oden had more upside, but Durant was the safer play. Pretty much how it turned out, too.

Durant is now a top 5 player of the league, i think when this is the safe choiche you would have big him anytime.


But calling Oden a bust, is weird in my eyes because he is unlucky but a good player.

Agreed...I think Durant has turn out to be better than most people thought he would on draft day. I think most people thought he'd be a good scorer...but he's proving to be a great player capable of winning the MVP.

Man, if you dont think Oden is a bust, there are no busts. Oden has great talent, it is too bad we never get to find out because he is always, I mean ALWAYS, hurt. Bust has nothing to do with potential and everything to do with production. Oden was very lucky, it's the Blazers who are the unlucky ones.

i think someone like Kwame Brown, Darko etc. are bust, Oden is very unlucky but Oden showed his NBA talent when he is healthy and after such long injury breaks i think thats definately a sign that he has the talent to be a top draft pick.
But he is very unlucky, so maybe Portland did not deal good in drafting him, but for me that unlucky circumstances. A bust is for me, wrong expectation from a drafted player. So maybe we had different definitions from the word bust, and maybe Oden will be lucky in future even when it get hard with his history(which wasn't that bad at draft date in my eyes).

It is unfair to call Oden a bust. It would be like saying Grant hill or brandon roy are busts.

and for Rubio beleavers/haters, (http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/06/20/overseas-scouting-repor...) That will be the deepest, most accurate report I have seen of rubio.

all non-athletic PG had little succes early in their carreers.

Nash is not as good a defender as rubio is, nor is he as athletic. He bases his play in the pick and roll, if you go around the defense he will take and make the shot, if you fight the screen he will attack the rim luring the defence to hit the open man or finding the screener be it rolling to the rim (warrick) or poping to shoot (frye) (stoudamire could do both). Nash is also a very good finisher around the rim, goes to peoples bodies and is very very crafty.

I think love is an ideal partner for this, he can roll to the rim and finish or he could pop out and wait to shoot the 3. Also he has a very good IQ, and very good spacing.B easley could also play pic and roll or pick and pop but he just doesnt have a good IQ and wouldnt recognize when to pop and when to roll.

Then again the problem is rubio, he needs to be consistent at least in his mid range jumpshot and he needs to be able to finish at the rim with both hands. If not defenders will simply go under the screen letting him shoot, and luring him to the rim for the easy block.

Cassel wasnt a very good long range shooter, but made his pic and roll after an isolation and close to the rim. That is one solution to range problem. Also you see Parker who is not a good jumpshooter excel with floters. Rubio needs to master something to get him going. Nash or CP3 crafty finishing around the rim, a consistent midrange game or a good floater. And you see every succesful pic and roll player being good at more than one of those. (or just mind blowingly athletic, as rose or westbrook were in his first season)


In the defensive end rubio is not very ahtletic, but he is very long. He is also quite tall, so if he can buckle up i can see him staying in front of players, maybe he can have trouble with very explosive players like rose, but others that use dribble penetration might have problems with his long arms and fast hands. (and he will have to stop gambling)

He also has a very hi IQ. Long arms hi IQ reminds me of stockton, but he is not even near as tough as Stockton was. and sneaking inside the paint just with craftyness will get you hurt (you see it constantly with CP3 or nash, remember when he broke his nose and put it in place himself?)

Edit: I would love to see him be extremely succesfull, he has the potential to be one of the best. He has the work ethic to improve his outside shot, he has the talent and craftyness to improve his finishing around the rim. He can take advices, he has a great IQ. My only concern would be toughness, both to fisical play and to mental stress. You can not teach that, and he is not there. I think that, and patience, will be the key to his success.

Last edited by Flamen at 8/1/2011 10:19:33 AM